Visit Missouri’s Best Public And Private Green Spaces

Ecologist John Muir once said that we receive far more than we seek in every walk in nature. If you’re looking to spend time with your family climbing trees, wandering among flowers, and dipping your toes into cool spring water, you’ll want to visit Missouri’s best public and private green spaces.

 

There are many wonderful sites to choose from in the Show-Me State. From city parks to state parks and private resorts, the opportunities to walk with nature are almost endless.

 

 

Head to Citygarden in downtown St. Louis and explore a green space that brings together the beauty of nature and art. Follow the urban sculpture park’s winding paths to discover sculptures and interactive art, spacious lawns, rain gardens, a pool and waterfall, and a spray plaza for children. Although the park is not walled or fenced in, there are two walls within it. One is the Meander Wall, which offers seating, and the other wall, built with Missouri limestone, creates more private spaces.

 

 

The Missouri Botanical Garden’s Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit offers an incredible amount of diversity, thanks to its location at the juncture of several different natural habitats. You’re sure to be amazed by the unique beauty of the prairie, woodlands, and wetlands that you can explore by following various trails. There’s more to do in the reserve than stroll or hike the trails. It’s a fantastic place for biking, picnicking, bird watching, photography and painting, and even cross-country skiing. There’s also a creek to play in during the warmer months.

 

The reserve offers a striking contrast to the manicured lawns of city parks that are looked after by landscaping professionals. The demand for commercial landscaping is extremely high, and it’s essential that professionals who are well versed in the climate, soil, and growing conditions in Franklin County look after the local green spaces.

 

 

Big Cedar Lodge’s Top of the Rock site in Branson is a Missouri green space in which to make memories. Sure, you can do that by swimming in nearby Table Rock Lake or playing a game of golf on the 3-par course designed by Jack Nicklaus, or you can enjoy the real attraction of the site, which is the Lost Canyon Cave and nature trail. You have the option of walking the trail or riding in a comfortable golf cart. Either way, you’ll see pools shaded by trees, stunning rock formations, dazzling waterfalls, covered bridges, and picturesque views of the lake. The highlight is the waterfall inside Canyon Cave itself.

 

 

A huge natural bridge, Missouri’s 12th largest spring, caves and sinkholes, wooded areas, rocky glades, and the ruins of a stone castle are some of the reasons to visit Ha Ha Tonka State Park. You can explore this natural wonderland via a series of trails and boardwalks, and there are plenty of picnic sites where you can enjoy refreshments. You and the kids can spend a few minutes cooling off in the discharge where water from the trout pool enters the lake. Alternatively, hire a kayak or stand-up paddleboard and explore the Big Niagara River Trail.